Saturday, August 19, 2017

Cannes Film Festival Best Director Brillante Mendoza lends his expertise to selected filmmaking enthusiasts for the Cinemansanas Masterclass sessions at the Power Mac Center Apple Authorized Training Provider in Arnaiz Ave., Makati City.

​Cannes Film Festival Best Director Brillante Mendoza began the first round of Masterclass sessions for Pixelworx: Cinemansanas 2017 last August 12 and 13. The 23 selected filmmakers embarked on a journey with the award-winning director who lent his expertise on acting, directing, and cinematography.

The exclusive sessions were held at the Power Mac Center Apple Authorized Training Provider in Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City. Participants underwent extensive training and experienced hands-on activities during the sessions, which aim to help them bring film ideas to life.

“We selected a wonderful mix of 23 idealistic students, professionals, and enthusiasts representing the 23 amazing years of Power Mac Center. We are grateful to Direk Dante Mendoza for sharing his time and knowledge and helping us nurture the next generation of Filipino filmmakers,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.

The last Masterclass session will be held on August 26. After which, participants are required to submit their short films for a chance to win a MacBook Pro Retina or up to P40,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards.

‘Do you have a minute?’ film competition, still open

Filmmakers and enthusiasts who missed the Masterclass sessions can still participate in Cinemansanas by sending their 1-minute film entries to the short film competition. Entry is free and open to all residents of the Philippines, provided they are 18 years old and above.

“‘Do you have a minute?’ aims to provide a perspective on how people can share compelling stories through social media, where everything has a shelf life of just 60 seconds. We want to challenge everyone, can you tell an amazing story in one minute?” Alvarez said.

Film entries must be shot using an iPhone and made specifically for this competition. Films may be in any language or have no dialogue at all, whereas foreign language audio or important on-screen text must have English subtitles.

Up to P30,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards, full training on Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro X, and an iPad Pro are up for grabs.

The deadline of submission of entries is on August 25, 2017. To join the competition, visit https://goo.gl/9SC9ai. For complete mechanics, visit any Power Mac Center branch nationwide, or log on to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube (@powermaccenter).

All Pixelworx: Cinemansanas activities will culminate in a Grand Movie Premiere at the SM Mall of Asia Cinema on September 21, 2017, with Director Brillante Mendoza as guest-of-honor.

Beat the rainy day blues as Bonifacio Global City invites everyone to shop and dine to earn any of these rainy day treats -- gift certificates from Krispy Kreme, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, or Luna Specialty Coffee, or access to fitness classes from GuavaPass partner studios.

Shoppers only need to present single or accumulated receipts worth P1,000 from shops or restaurants at Bonifacio Stopover, Park Triangle, and Crossroads to register and pick a prize at any of the Shop, Dine & Win promo booths located in the following establishments:

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

No matter how careful with gadgets you are, accidents are bound to happen. Good thing Apple devices newly purchased at Power Mac Center now have an option of additional insurance protection for damages not covered in the standard warranty. This includes water damage or cracked screen, as well as medical expense and death benefits arising from theft or robbery.

Power Mac Center, in partnership with Insurance Company of North America (a Chubb Company), designed Protect Plus to shield you from potential losses as you are constantly exposed to such risks. Its benefits include:

Accidental Damage Benefit for impairment that prevents a device’s correct operation or renders it unusable;

Accidental Death Benefit Arising from Theft or Robbery amounting to P100,000 for the customer’s family or beneficiaries in case of loss of life; and

Accidental Medical Expense Benefit Arising from Theft or Robbery of up to P5,000 per incident, reimbursed for in or outpatient medical treatment.

Customers must purchase an Apple device at Power Mac Center to avail of the Protect Plus protection insurance offer. A premium of 12 percent of the device’s current retail price entitles you to one year insurance protection. This adds benefits in cases of accidents causing damage to the device or its owner. Note that this does not extend the duration of the standard Apple warranty.

Filing claims is as simple as calling the Protect Plus hotline or sending an email within seven (7) calendar days from the date of incident. For accidental damage claims, Protect Plus will shoulder the Diagnostic Fee and Repair Costs. Meanwhile, participation fee for approved claims is at 20 percent of the device’s original purchase price.

“Power Mac Center’s latest offering, Protect Plus, is actually security and peace of mind in a nutshell. It’s a reestablishment of our commitment to provide unparalleled service to the Filipino Apple market. Now you can be worry-free no matter your lifestyle because of the extra precaution Protect Plus provides,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.

Keep safety in mind for your device and for yourself. More information about Protect Plus and other products and services may be obtained from Power Mac Center branches nationwide, on the website www.powermaccenter.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@powermaccenter).

Monday, July 24, 2017

The mobile role-playing game (RPG) "LEGO® Quest & Collect", developed by Nexon Corp. (CEO, Jiwon Park), has been released in Korea and the Asia region on the 13th.

"LEGO® Quest & Collect", which focuses on the internationally treasured LEGO® brand and themes, is developed by Nexon in partnership with TT Games and The LEGO Group.

For the first time on smartphones and tablets, players can build their own collection of LEGO® Minifigures and playsets from multiple LEGO® product ranges including: LEGO® CITY, LEGO® MINIFIGURES™, LEGO® NINJAGO™, LEGO® CASTLE, LEGO® PIRATES and more.

The Unreal 4 engine was used to create "Brick World," a world filled with LEGO® Bricks, which will be loved by all LEGO® fans. The game contains many action-packed quests over a variety of unique stages where heroes can team up to save Brick World from the evil "Mad Creator", who is trying to conquer it by stealing the "Master Brick".

"LEGO® Quest & Collect" was released in Korea and 14 other Asian countries including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia (China and Japan excluded) on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It supports five languages.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Children are naturally curious but they have brief attention spans. To effectively nurture kids’ mental development while keeping their focus intact, educators have long employed the technique called edutainment, a combination of “education” and “entertainment,” which literally means mixing learning with fun.

Bonifacio Global City (BGC), home to top educational institutions like the University of the Philippines and the International School Manila, houses establishments that not only engage in edutainment but take it to the next level, that is, through hands-on experience.

The Mind Museum, KidZania, and Active Fun in BGC provide kids with tools that help them learn how the world works and discover their strengths early on. While it looks like a simple opportunity for play, these establishments cater alternative learning experiences that are fun, entertaining, and age-appropriate.

Apart from the usual videos and pictures, edutainment facilities in BGC have interactive displays and activities that let children experiment and explore things on their own. These establishments provide a complete sensory experience, stimulating all five senses.

The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City takes edutainment to the next level as it
showcases interactive exhibits and holds fun science experiments for kids of
all ages.

The Mind Museum, for instance, inspires exploration, creativity, and understanding for the wonders of everything around and inside us. For kids and kids-at-heart, there’s so much to do like play music at the piano stairs, marvel at a life-sized T. rex fossil and a whaleshark, see themselves in an astronaut suit floating in space, or watch live experiments by resident scientists. Every corner is truly an adventure waiting to be explored.

KidZania in Bonifacio Global City
allows kids to role-play as adults and experience different professions including
pilots, doctors, bankers, craftsmen, and chefs. (Photo from KidZania’s Facebook
page)

Kids fully enjoy their
time at Active Fun in Bonifacio
Global City with various workshops and activities aside from the regular play areas.
(Photo from Active Fun’s Facebook page)

KidZania and Active Fun, meanwhile, are essentially play cities where kids can run around, climb, and jump as much as they want. In addition, they feature activities that are reality-based, hands-on, and interactive. KidZania allows kids to role-play as adults and have a taste of what it’s like to work at particular jobs while Active Fun holds workshops that tackle practical subjects such as Public Speaking, Entrepreneurship, Personality Development, Instrumental Lessons, and Animation. This provides kids an opportunity to develop and enhance social skills as they come face-to-face with new playmates and deal with other children of different ages.

“Kids nowadays are perpetually glued to their gadgets. And while they can learn things via digital, it is important to take them away from screens every so often so they can develop not only motor skills but real world skills. BGC provides a multitude of 21st century learning opportunities to nurture both mental and physical development,” said Sean Luarca, Marketing Manager of Fort Bonifacio Development Corp.

In the same way that adults learn better by experiencing something, so do kids remember what you teach them through firsthand information. If you’re looking for new and fun ways of learning for your kids, there’s nowhere to go but BGC.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

The coastal city of Dumaguete was the site of the 2nd Pioneer National Bangkarera, as part of Republic Chemical Industries, Inc. (RCI)’s 60th anniversary celebration. From May 12 to May 14, 2017, thousands gathered along the city’s main thoroughfare, Rizal Boulevard, to catch the action as 40 teams of fishing boats made up of 144 entries from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao braved the challenging waters to register impressive times.

John Spakowski II, RCI Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said that they were “inspired about helping people with the way they do their living and at the same time use our products to protect and preserve the environment”.

Republic Chemical Industries is the maker of Pioneer Epoxy bonds, paints and sealants. The race celebrates fishing as a dignified source of livelihood as well as display the high quality of Pioneer adhesives--the preferred brand of the fishermen-participants.

OCEAN CONSERVATION EFFORTS

As part of the festivities, Pioneer Adhesives Foundation, Inc. (PAFI), led by Executive Director Martina Spakowski, collaborated with the Siliman University Marine Labs to conduct the Reef Fix project in Dumaguete.

The Reef Fix project is part of “Our Earth, Our Responsibility”, PAFI’s environmental campaign that responds to the growing harmful effects of global warming on our environment. During the Reef Fix project in Dumaguete, 10 volunteer divers participated and dove into the sea of Siliman Beach to remove the damaging Drupella and Coralliophilia from the coral reef.

The project has also initiated activities to repair 4,600 corals as part of sustained efforts to protect marine sanctuaries in Puerto Princesa, Boracay, Alaminos and Dumaguete City to improve fish catch. Some 11,200 mangroves were also planted by about 1,815 volunteers.

RACE RESULTS

Teams from the Visayas and the host island of Negros dominated the score boards. Below are the final race results:

16HP (Open Category)

Champion: Team Pirata of Iligan City (P110,000)

2nd Place: Team Aranicole of Bulacan (P80,000)

3rd Place: Team Boracay (P50,000)

7HP (Open Category)

Champion: Team Black Manta of Negros Occidental (P60,000)

2nd Place: Team Overtime of Cebu (P30,000)

3rd Place: Team Cebu (P20,000)

7HP (Angat Sa Dagat Category)

Champion: Team Cebu (P60,000)

2nd Place: Team Tamztroopers of Dipolog City (P30,000)

3rd Place: Manful Racing Team of Negros Occidental (P20,000)

Paddle Boat (Open Category)

Champion: Team Tamztroopers of Dipolog City (P30,000)

2nd Place: Poblacion Sibulan Team of Negros Occidental (P15,000)

3rd Place: Zamboanguita Team of Negros Occidental (P10,000)

***

ABOUT RCI

Over the course of more than half a century, Republic Chemical Industries, Inc. (RCI) has established a reputation for trusted products and initiatives that help and support local communities in the Philippines.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Whether you’re into food, arts, or
fitness, this business hub has something you’ll love.

Bonifacio Global City is a wonderful mix of modernity and culture. Exploring it will give you a feel of that soul, befitting of its moniker “home of passionate minds.” If you’re craving for a little adventure or just want to know the place better, here’s a handy guide to help you with.

EAT

Start your day with an awesome breakfast, or brunch if you will, in any of the restaurants at Bonifacio Stopover. Choose from fresh Japanese fare, familiar Filipino staples, and no-frills fast food. Go for whatever tickles your taste buds!

If you find yourself craving for comfort food in the wee hours, you can head straight here as some merchants like Recovery Food, FamilyMart, and Jollibee are open 24 hours.

Location: Bonifacio Stopover, Rizal Drive
corner 31st St.

For the poshest bars and clubs in the metropolis, look no further than The Fort Strip, home of Privé Luxury Club, Jill’s, and Club Haze. BGCitizens love to hang out here for after-work drinks, to go clubbing, or just chill.

Location: 28th Street, corner 7th Avenue

Cap off the night with more grub from Mercato Centrale, a night market that put homegrown start-ups of comfort and novelty food under one roof. Here you’ll find a mix of Filipino and Asian cuisine, street foods, and delectable desserts. Go and stay until the wee hours because it’s open from 6PM until 3AM from Thursdays thru Saturdays.

Location: 25th Street corner 7th
Avenue

LEARN

Education, culture, and the arts are esteemed highly in BGC. Apart from being home to the country’s top educational institutions, BGC celebrates science and the arts - two of the greatest human traditions ever cultivated. All around, you can see larger-than-life murals, perfect for your #OOTDs and IG feed goals!

Different murals
can be found all around BGC. Pictured above is “See No Evil, Hear No Evil,
Speak No Evil” by Archie Geotina (28th St)

The country’s first world-class science museum is also in BGC. A project of the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc., The Mind Museum is truly dedicated to give its visitors an extraordinary educational experience that promotes love for science. It has over 250 interactive exhibits through five interconnected galleries.

Location: J. Y. Campos Park, 3rd Ave

Meanwhile, the recently inaugurated BGC Arts Center serves as a new platform for the creative community to share their art with the public. The only stand-alone theater built from private donations, BGC Arts Center holds theater performances, art exhibits, and other creative pursuits.

Location: 26th Street

PLAY

Play helps in the overall development of children and keeping the stress levels of adults low. BGC is teeming with spaces for play anyone can frequently visit.

The BGC Greenway Park is the longest urban park in Metro Manila at 1.6 kilometers. Open to the public daily from 6AM to 10PM, people can safely run, bike, or jog in this landscaped expanse. It has patches of green spaces perfect for lounging and picnics with family and friends.

Location: McKinley Parkway to Net Plaza

De Jesus Oval Park is one of BGC’s most famous parks. It is closed to traffic every Sunday to give everyone a chance to enjoy the green without the noise and smoke that cars bring. Unwind, meditate, walk your dog, and let your kids run and tumble freely all day! You might also catch some activities and festivals held here occasionally.

Location: De Jesus Oval

For those who live an active lifestyle or planning to start one, BGC has plenty of avenues that support such. Just look at Track 30th, a jogging path with yoga and exercise lawn, and a meditation garden adorned with interactive art installations crafted out of recycled materials.

Turf BGC, the country’s first ever artificial football turf, is a haven for football enthusiasts. Whether you can spare time during the week or only on weekends, there are friendly pickup games to share with fellow football lovers.

Location: 9th Street

Whatever you are passionate for, or whatever it is that you love, there’s always something to find and do in BGC. Come over and bring the whole squad because adventure awaits!

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Joining blog contests has been a part of my blogging routine. I usually join contests posted in Nuffnang, the world's leading blog advertising community. Last May 30, I joined their #ColgateMinions Blog Contest and surprisingly, I was one of the lucky winners of tickets for the exclusive screening of Despicable Me 3 at Shangri-La Plaza, Cineplex on the 17th of June. It was my first time to won in a blog contest so this was so unexpected. Included in the prize was three tickets with free snacks. Upon winning, I immediately called my friends to accompany me. Sadly, it was only my best friend who was available and the remaining one ticket was not claimed.

Nevertheless, this event became a way for me and my best friend to meet after four long months of not seeing each other. (Btw, he's a Vlogger and you might as well like to subscribe to his YouTube channel: EmmanJamesTV)

Upon arriving at Shangri-La Cineplex, the Nuffnang Team welcomed us with their warm smiles and greetings. The venue was filled with kids wearing Minion outfits. (They're so cuteeee!)

We proceeded to the registration at the entrance of the cinema.

After the registration, we got our movie tickets with free snacks tab. (I got only two tickets because it was only me and my best friend who came to the event.)

The movie started at 5:00 PM and lasted for almost two hours. The movie indeed channeled the inner kids in us. Truly, creators of Despicable Me movies never disappoint their viewers.

Colgate Ph and Nuffnang Ph did not only make the winners happy with free movie tickets, but also with these wonderful products.

My nephew's so excited to use his Despicable Me inspired tooth brush and tooth paste from Colgate Philippines.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC), the master planners of Bonifacio Global City (BGC), just released a public service announcement on Anti-Littering in BGC. It aims to serve as a reminder to BGCitizens and visitors alike to help keep the city clean by properly throwing garbage like cigarette butts, soda cans, and dog poop.

The video was created by CookaiTV Productions of YouTube vlogger and advertising producer Cookai Talusan. It stars Arri Veloso of Pwitty Girls of MNL, which features beauty reviews from the pretty and witty.

FBDC is keen on encouraging everyone to maintain the health and beauty of its community.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

(L-R) Sheila Oseña, VP for Finance and John Henry Oseña, President of Web.com.ph with Niño Valmonte, Director for Marketing and Digital Innovation of IPC at a previously held #DiscoverDigital seminar.

Web.com.ph, one of the country’s leading e-commerce service providers specializing in domain name registration and hosting, recently tapped IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc., a subsidiary of ePLDT, Inc.) to colocate their servers in the latter’s data center facilities. Originally colocated in the United States, the company fully migrated its servers to the Philippines to address connection, stability, latency, and data sovereignty issues.

According to IPC Chief Operating Officer Patrick David R. de Leon, it is imperative for companies like Web.com.ph who rely on the Internet to generate revenue, to have access to stable and secure digital infrastructure. “Businesses of today are turning to digital processes, tools and infrastructure, to meet operational efficiency goals and gain a competitive advantage. We ensure that enterprises, especially those like Web.com.ph who are in the e-commerce space, are not only supported with robust data center and network facilities to cover stability, security, and speed, but are also able to tap into our various digital resources in the cloud.”

Through this partnership, IPC will be hosting Web.com.ph’s servers in their data centers, and will handle the necessary measures to preserve business continuity such as power, cooling, bandwidth, physical infrastructure, data security, among others. IPC’s flagship data center located in Paranaque City is accredited by Japan’s NTT Communications as one of its over 140 Nexcenter facilities around the world. The company is also certified for ISO 9001 and 27001, which pertain to Quality Management Systems and Information Security Management Systems respectively.

De Leon adds that by colocating in IPC’s data centers, Web.com.ph’s customers stand to experience utmost Internet service quality and speeds as a result of IPC's data communications network that’s peered with all major domestic and international carriers in the region. IPC operates its own Asia Pacific network with bandwidth capacity on multiple undersea cable facilities.

Founded in 2004, Web.com.ph, currently serves as the Internet domain provider of over 6,000 clients. This number simply reflects the capabilities of its technical support staff which consists of Red Hat Certified Technicians (RHCT) and Novell Certified Linux Professionals NCLP, who are supported by a number of highly competent webmasters, graphic designers, and web developers.

“With our servers being colocated abroad, it was an ongoing challenge serving Philippine clients due to connection issues. We addressed this with our partnership with IPC. They have the cost advantage along with the stability of the platform. What made us partner with them, to summarize, are: Cost and Top-notch infrastructure,” said John Henry Oseña, President and Systems Administrator of Web.com.ph.

Oseña explained that due to IPC’s colocation service, Web.com.ph has received accolades from their clients. “Since the servers are hosted here, it’s faster compared to our competitors in the US, and our clients recognize this through the stability of their domains. Also, thanks to the happy customers brought by the enhanced connectivity and stability, we’ve had an increase in referrals which in turn helps our company to grow further.”

A local cloud services pioneer in the country, IPC owns and operates three state-of-the-art data centers, located in Makati, Parañaque, and at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. These robust, globally compliant facilities offer full infrastructure and telecommunications redundancy that protect every client’s mission-critical data and applications, and assure uninterrupted operations against connection issues, cyberattacks, and downtime. IPC’s data centers are a part of ePLDT’s nationwide chain of VITRO Data Centers.

* * *

About IPC®

IPC® (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.) is an Internet data center, telecommunications and cloud services company, providing local and regional enterprises with managed data services and business solutions at international standards. Certified with ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management Systems, the foundation of IPC's business is customer satisfaction, ensured through high-quality on-time service delivery, best practices, and a personalized, "boutique" approach to clients. IPC is an ePLDT company.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Brushing our teeth has been a very big part of our daily routine. It keeps our teeth from cavities that may lead to problems such as tooth decay. But some kids may hate brushing teeth and tend to skip it, leading to early teeth problems.

Colgate, the leading toothpaste brand in the Philippines, made it more fun for the kids to brush their teeth by launching Colgate’s Minions toothbrush and Minions toothpaste. It is impossible for the kids to resist the cuteness of these products, for every kid must be very in love with Minions. I, myself, love Minions too! Products are available for kids from ages 2-9

Thursday, May 25, 2017

JulianElla is a famous love team in the Philippines and was built with the fans' support for Teen Dance Princess Ella Cruz and Julian Trono. They are known as the dance duo who already covered different dance covers that trended online.

Ella Cruz recently uploaded a Video Blog (Vlog) to show the fans how she and Julian Trono enjoyed the concert of Coldplay in Manila a few months ago.

Click the link and see the latest upload of the teen dance princess and start to feel the kilig vibes!

Power Mac Center returns to the Philippine Fashion Week runways to flaunt the hottest tech accessories and show the world how marrying top-notch Filipino fashion and cutting-edge tech products is done. This partnership cements Power Mac Center’s position as a lifestyle brand dedicated to setting trends in fashion tech that coincide with the global vision of Philippine Fashion Week.

As its Official Technology Retail partner, the premium Apple reseller brings its newest collection of meticulously crafted accessories to the country’s grandest fashion congregation happening on May 27-28, 2017 at the Discovery Primea in Makati City.

This year’s line-up is composed of premium brands with an international audience. Power Mac Center partners Sonix, Moshi, Wraps, Jabra, Sennheiser and Hoco are set to wow the fashion glitterati with their latest innovations, integrated into the Holiday 2017 collections of some of the country’s renowned fashion designers.

“Power Mac Center has always supported creative self-expression. Over the years, we’ve seen brands reinvent tech accessories in terms of design and functionality and we’d like to see how that plays out with this year’s roster of designers and their collections,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.

A trendsetter in consumer electronics in its own right, Power Mac Center carefully curated the pieces that best represent its vision for the future of tech accessories. Among the trends it will present this year are printed power banks, wristband headphones, full-sized yet lightweight backpacks, wireless earphones with integrated training apps, classic watch bands, and luxury headphones.

To show how these trends and digital tools are woven into the fabric of modern life, Mixy Dy, Kaye Morales, Jerome Salaya-Ang, Jeffrey Rogador, EsAc, and Pat Santos worked closely with the brands to create an exceptional collection of fashion-forward pieces that mix well with designer tech accessories. Gone are the days when “techie” meant “geeky” in the looks department and in its place is a new aesthetic that’s perfect for the fashion savvy and tech-obsessed millennial generation.

Established in 1994, Power Mac Center has grown to be the premier Apple reseller and authorized service provider in the Philippines. It carries world-renowned brands of digital lifestyle essentials and provides Filipinos the complete Apple experience through its extensive network of retail stores, service centers, and training facilities nationwide. More information about products and services may be obtained from Power Mac Center’s 29 branches or at www.powermaccenter.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@powermaccenter).

Sunday, May 14, 2017

You don’t need to check a thermometer or even your phone app to know that summer is here. And yes, that means fun and frolicking, whether in the lakes, rivers, and beaches or in mountains, hills, and forests. The great outdoors beckon! But before you run out on your next adventure, make sure that you slather on sun protection.

From the makers of Cetaphil, Daylong sun care products help you get sun-kissed, not sun-burnt this season. SPF or the Sun Protection Factor helps you determine what is perfect for your skin and your activity. But how does it work? SPF refers to how much protection is given by a sunscreen when applied to skin at a thickness of 2mg/cm2. For example: When wearing a sunscreen with SPF30, skin exposure can last for 5 hours protected from sunburn (given if an individual develops redness after 10min of sun exposure).

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Summer time! The scorching heat is definitely calling most of you to go wander around beaches here in the Philippines. I, myself, cannot resist the temptation to go enjoy the summer heat. It was a good news for me when I heard that there will be a long weekend and what popped up in my mind was "go to the beach" repeatedly.

So here's the wonderful news, we went on a family outing to the beautiful province of..."AURORA!"

We had a travel time of 6-7 hours from our province, Bulacan, to Aurora. It was quite a long but worth it drive. Our first itinerary was Rock and Sand Beach Resort in Dipaculao, Aurora, two hours estimated travel time from Baler. Here are some photos taken at the beach:

You can set up your own tent or portable beach mat. You can place it under the shade of trees so you will not get too much tan. But if you want to have those tan lines after your beach escapade, you can place it under the sun. Just don't forget to apply sunscreen so you will not get too much burn.

You can see behind us the low tide sea. It was 2:00 in the afternoon that time and we needed to wait until around 4:30 PM for the water to come back to the shore.

The view is very suitable for your artsy Instagram feed. The ocean, the lighting, and the other nature aspects are very nice.

The sunset can be viewed across the mountain view and is also good for you Instagram feed. It was so relaxing to witness this kind of view.

The following day, we needed to go somewhere else because the room accommodation was quite not good in terms of power supply. The power was supplied only by power generator and sometimes the generator can't supply enough energy for the appliances such as air conditioner.

So the our family decided to go back to Baler and spend our last day of outing there. We went to Diguisit Falls but there are too many people and we will probably not enjoy our time there and also, it is not suitable for the children in our family because of its steepness.

Again we decided to look for another itinerary. We went to Ermita Hills. I can compare this place to Baguio's Mine's View. There is also a souvenir shop inside the place so you can buy shirts, key holders, ref magnets and others.

After Ermita Hills, we went to a beach in Baler. I was not sure what's the name of the lodge we rented. We only spent hours there because we needed to go home early. But that couple of hours was all worth it.

We rented a surf board because Baler trip will never be the same without you experiencing the fun of surfing.

It was really a fun and unforgettable experience. And if asked to go back there, yes, definitely, I will be back to Baler!

It was only two days in Aurora but the experience will be with me, forever. Thank you, Aurora, for the wonderful memories! ❤️